Quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness and a harness including said device

ABSTRACT

Quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness having two pairs of straps each of which pair includes a chest strap and a thigh strap. The connecting device comprises two hooking devices for respectively interconnecting the chest strap and thigh strap of their respective pair of straps and a bar pivoted to one of the hooking devices in the operative position of the bar. The bar locks the hooking devices in their chest strap and thigh strap interhooking condition in the operative position of the bar. Locking means locks the bar in the operative position.

United States Patent Pravaz [541 QUICK-RELEASE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR A PARACl-IUTE HARNESS AND A HARNESS INCLUDING SAID DEVICE Inventor:

Marcel Pravaz, Clichy, France Etudes et Fabrications Aeronautiques, Paris, France Filed: Dec. 16, 1970 Appl. No.: 98,804

Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 27, 1970 France ..7007095 US. Cl. ..244/15l A Int. Cl. ..B64d 17/30 Field of Search ..244/15l R, 151 A, 151 B;

References Cited N TEP,. AIBPATEW TM 3, 1 1s,321 12/1963 Tauty .(24171 5?;

[151 3,692,263 [4s] Sept. 19, 1972 2,527,972 10/1950 Tauty .244/151 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,200,230 12/1959 France ..244/15l R Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Carl A. Rutledge Attorney-John Lezdey [57] ABSTRACT Quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness having two pairs of straps each of which pair includes a chest strap and a thigh strap. The connecting device comprises two hooking devices for respectively interconnecting the chest strap and thigh strap of their respective pair of straps and a bar pivoted to one of the hooking devices in the operative position of the bar. The bar locks the booking devices in their chest strap and thigh strap interhooking condition in the operative position of the bar. Locking means locks the bar in the operative position.

PATENTEDSEP 19 I972 SHEET 2 [1F 4 pivot point on one of the hooking devices under the effect of its own weight assisted, as the case may be, by the weight of the stomach parachute pack which can be 7 directly fixed to this bar and consequently the two In known harnesses, the four aforementioned straps are interconnected, that is to say, the harness is closed:

at a central point on the chest of the parachutist, which excludes the possibility of unhooking and thus a rapid opening of the harness each time the front of the trunk of the parachutist is encumbered, which is the case in particular when the parachutist has a stomach safety parachute pack;

or at several points by connecting means which are independent of each other, in which case the parachutist has to accomplish as many successive operations as there are connecting points;

or at two points each of which corresponds to the connection of the two straps of one or the other of the pairs of the straps, a rigid bar permanently fixed to one of the chest straps at one of these two points interconnecting, in the active position, the two points and being held stationary in this active position by locking means; with this solution, the parachutist may experience some difficulty in putting the harness on.

The object of the invention is to simplify the operations and in particular the putting on and the attachment of the parachute on the body of the parachutist.

The invention provides a quick-release connecting device, of the type having a bar provided with locking means for locking the bar in the active position, for a parachute harness having two pairs of straps, each pair of straps having a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination with the bar and the means locking the bar in the operative position: two hooking deviceseach of which permits hooking a thigh strap to a chest strap of the same pair, each of said hooking devices being formed of two parts respectively connected to a chest strap and a thigh strap, said bar being permanently pivoted to the part of one of the hooking devices fixed to one of the chest strapsand so adapted that, in its operative position folded against the other hooking device, it locks the two hooking devices in the hooking position.

According to one embodiment, each hooking device comprises a loop element which is permanently fixed to the corresponding chest strap and provided with a stud, whereas the part integral with the thigh strap is constituted by a tongue .member having an aperture engageable on the corresponding stud, the bar being pivoted to one of the loop elements and covering in the operative folded position, said two tongue members engaged on their respective studs.

With the arrangement according to the invention, it is sufficient for the parachutist, in order to remove his back parachute, and possibly his stomach parachute, to unlock the bar which automatically swings about its hooking devices are unlocked, the thigh straps are released from the chest straps and the harness is completely opened.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: 1

FIG. I is a diagrammatic front view of a harness equipped with the device according to the invention, the assembly being shown in the closed and buckled harness position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, the assembly being shown in the open harness position;

FIG. 3 is a downward front view of the assembly of the connecting device;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device with a part cut away, and

FIG. .7 is a partial plan view of the connecting device after the unlocking and the withdrawal of the bar to the inoperative position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the quickly and completely releasable connecting device L according to the invention is shown as applied to a harness H of known type which is adapted to secure to the back of the parachutist the pack Sd of a back parachute, only the pupper part of which is shown in FIG. 1. A container Sv containing a stomach parachute can be, if desired, hooked to the harness H after the latter has been closed by the connecting device L.

This harness l-I comprises in the known manner two chest straps S and S and two thigh straps S and 8,, the four straps being adapted to be interconnected, first, in each pair of straps, that is to say, the strap 5;, must be connected to the strap S and the strap S to the strap S and, secondly, by the interconnection of the two pairs of straps.

The three connections are achieved by the device L which has seven parts:

Two parts A and B constituting a first hooking device for interconnecting the chest strap 8 and thigh strap S2.

Two other parts C and D respectively fixed to the chest strap S and to the thigh strap S and constituting a second device interhooking these two straps.

A rigid bar E for locking, in an operative position of the bar (FIGS. 1, 3 and 6), the two hooking devices A-B and C-D in their hooking positions and interconnecting the two hooking devices.

A device F for locking the bar E in the operative position for locking the hooking devices.

An auxiliary lock G adapted to hold the locking v device F in the position for locking the bar B.

Each of these seven parts will now be described in detail.

The part A of the device for interhooking the straps S, and 8; (FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7) is constituted by a loop in the form of a flat-shaped ring having two strips 1 and 2 interconnected at one end by an eye 3 and at the other end by a cross-member 4 which comprises a nose portion 5 and projects from the strip 2. On an outer curved face of the nose portion 5 there is provided a locking notch 6 whose function will be explained hereinafter. The strip 2 has in its center a cylindrical hooking stud 7. The part A is completed by a stop 8 connected to the bottom of the eye 3 and to the bottom of the cross-member 4 of the part A and adapted by contact with the lower end 9 of the strap 8,, to limit the downward tilting of the part A by a rotation of the strip 1 in an eye 10 which surrounds it (FIG. 4) and is formed in the strap 8,.

The part B, integral with the thigh strap 8,, is adapted to engage on the stud 7 for hooking purposes. The part -B is constituted by a plate 11 constituting a tongue member. The tongue member 11 is provided with a transverse opening 12 for fixing it in a loop 13 of the strap S, and, near its free end, with an aperture 14 for engaging the hooking stud 7.

The partsC and D of the second hooking device v (C-D) for interconnecting the straps S and S are somewhat similarly designed.

The part C (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6) comprises a loop element having two parallel strips 15 and 16 and a halfring portion 17 which are laterally interconnected by transverse side portions 18 and 19 with which are integral two stops 20 and 21 adapted to perform a function similar to that of the stop 8 of the device A. The stop 21 comprises moreover two lateral wing portions 22 provided with apertures 23 whose function will be explained hereinafter. The strip 16 has a hooking stud 24 adapted to co-operate with the part D which is integral with the thigh strap S and forms part of the hooking device interhooking the straps S, and S The part D is similar to the part B and consists of a tongue member 25 having an opening 26 for fixing it to the strap S and an aperture 27 for engagement on the hooking stud 24.

The members 11 and 25 constituting the parts B and D of the two hooking devices are adapted to be locked on the respective studs 7 and 24 by the bar B when the latter is swung over to the operative position thereof, shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The bar E comprises a, longitudinal rigid tubular body 28 having an axial passage 29 counterbored at 30. The body 28 is extended in the part adjacent the strap S, by an elongated buckle or loop portion 31 having an end cranked at 32 for its engagement in the eye 3 of the part A of the first hooking device. The bar E is therefore permanently pivoted to the chest strap S Adjacent the loop portion 31, the bar E has a first half-ring 32 contained in a plane perpendicular to the plane of loop portion 31 and extending forwardly when the bar is in the swung-over operative position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6. The half-ring 33 is provided for the possible hooking by means of a snap-hook 34 of the stomach parachute pack S, which another snap-hook 35 hooks to a second similar half-ring 36 provided .at the other end of the bar E.

At this end of the bar E adapted to co-operate with the parts C and D for interhooking the straps S, and S the body28 terminates in a head portion which has two elongated parallel loop portions 37 and 38 which define, first, by their openings, a passage in a direction perpendicular to the parallel planes of these loop portions for the engagement in the latter of the half-ring 17 of the hooking part C (see FIGS. 5 and 6), and, secondly, an opening 39 perpendicular to the foregoing openings and formed between the two rings.

The head of the body 28 also comprises the aforementioned half-ring 36 for hooking the stomach parachute pack 5,.

The bar E is completed by a lock constituted by an axial rod 40 which is movable in the passage 29 and biased towards the right (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 6) by a spring 41 disposed in the counterbore 30 and bearing against a flange 42 on the rod 40 so as to cause the end of the rod to project and constitute a latch in the loop portion 31 and engage the end of the rod (see FIGS. 3 and 6) in the notch 5 which constitutes a keeper and is provided in the lateral side portion 4 of the part A of the first hooking device.

When the end of the rod 40 is engaged in the notch 5, its other end 43 hardly extends out of the bore 29 in the head of the bar and, in the operative position of the bar, is held stationary in this position by its contact with the portion 19 of the hooking part C engaged in the loop portions 37 and 38 of the bar, as shown in FIG. 6.

The part F adapted to lock the bar E with respect to the hooking device (C-D) comprises a member 44 of piano wire having a portion folded onto itself in the shape of a V and two cranked portions 45 (FIG. 3) adapted to be blocked in the head of the body of the bar E at the ends of the passage 39. At the rear, the member 44 terminates in two loops 46 whereby it is possible to exert a pressure with two fingers on the V- shaped member 44 so as to close it and facilitate its engagement in the head of the bar. For the purpose of extracting the member 44, there is hooked on the rear portion of the two branches of the member a stirrup 47 connected to a pulling tab 48.

The auxiliary lock G is constituted by an end 49 of a rigid band adapted to be passed through the end of the lock F and through the openings 23 of the stop 21 of the hooking part C. This band 49 is for example connected by an auxiliary band 50 to a part of the harness.

The connecting device L is employed in the following manner:

To put the harness on, the parachutist most first hook strap 8;, to strap 8,. For this purpose, he takes hold of one of the two straps in one hand and engages the aperture 14 of the tongue member 11 on the stud 7 of the part A and then swings over the bar E in such manner as to engage the end of the rod 40 constituting a latch in the notch or keeper 5. Thenceforth, the hooking device (A-B) is locked and the member 11 can no longer leave the stud 7 since the bar E bears thereagainst by its flattened loop portion 31.

' When this has been done, the parachutist must interconnect the straps S and S He can use both hands for this and is not hindered by the bar E since, owing to the flexibility of the straps S and S,, the head of the bar E can be moved sufficiently away from the parts C and D of the second hooking device (C-D) to avoid hindering the engagement .of the aperture 27 of the tongue member 25 on the stud 24 of the part C. When this has been done, the tongue member 25 being maintained by one hand, the parachutist swings by means of the other hand the bar E onto the half-ring 17 of the part C which passes beyond the passage 39 formed between the two loop portions 37 and 38 of the head of the bar E.

The assembly can then be locked in this position by engagement of the V-shaped member 44 of the locking device in the passage 39, this member being for this purpose elastically gripped between two fingers of one hand by bearing on the loops 46. When engaged, it is merely necessary ,to release the member 44 for it to be held stationary by the cranked portions 45.

In this position, the straps S and S can no longer separate since the tongue member 25 is locked in position on the stud 24 by the lower loop portion 27 of the bar, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 5. Further, the bar E cannot be moved away from the hooking device (C-D) since the lock F passes across the loop portion 37 of the bar E and in the half-ring 17 of the part C of the device (C-D) and locks the bar E in position. This locking system is moreover locked by the band 49 of the lock G engaged in the openings 23 in the part C of the hooking device and in the V-shaped member 44.

As soon as the parachutist lands, it is advisable that he be able to free himself from his back parachute and possibly from his stomach parachute as quickly as possible and in a very simple manner so as to avoid the danger of being dragged along the ground. Consequently, he must almost immediately open the harness. To achieve this, he has merely two very rapid operations to carry out, namely he first disengages the auxiliary safety lock G by pulling on the band 49 and then pulls away the locking device F by pulling on the tab 48, the V-shaped member 44 automatically resiliently closing so as to pass out of the head of the bar E.

As this bar is thus released or unlocked from the hooking device (C-D), by the effect of the weight of the stomach parachute or by a slight action exerted on the bar E itself, the latter disengages from the half-ring 17 of the part C of the second hooking device (-D) and the tongue member 25 leaves the stud 24. The two straps S and S, are thus disconnected. However, thenceforth the right end 45 of the rod 40 which was up till now locked in position by the half-ring 17, can be dis engaged by moving towards the left, in opposition to the action of the spring 41, so that under the effect of the weight of the stomach parachute .or of the action exerted directly by the parachutist on the bar E, the latter is able to swing by the pivoting of its loop portion 32 in the eye 3, the bolt 40 leaving the notch or keeper 5 by compressing the spring 41. The bar moves to the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 and releases the tongue member 11 of the hooking device (A-B). This member 1 1 leaves the stud 7 and the straps S and S, are thus disconnected. The four straps are therefore disconnected from each other and the parachutist is completely freed from the harness and parachute or parachutes.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the locking of the hooking device (C-D) and of the bar E by the lock F is transmitted to the hooking device (A-B) by the rod 40 constituting a bolt and that the right unlocking automatically brings about the left unlocking.

The interest of the device according to the invention will be easily understood. The device permits the locking of the harness at two distinct points on the right and on the left of the chest of the parachutist, there being required only a single operation on a single side to effect the unlocking plus the operation of the safety auxiliary locking means G, the transmission of the unlocking to the locking of the left being effected automatically by the device itself.

Briefly, the device permits the opening of the harness at a single point on the right side in the presentlydescribed embodiment, whereas the locking is achieved at two points.

Note that the rod 40 transmitting the locking on the right to that on the left may be disposed outside the body 28 of the bar E.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination: two hooking devices respectively for the two pairs of straps, each hooking device being capable of individually booking the thigh strap to the chest strap of the corresponding pair of straps, each hooking device comprising a first element connected to the corresponding chest strap and a second element connected to the corresponding thigh strap, the first element and second element being hookable together; a bar pivoted to the first element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position in which the second elements are free to unhook from the first elements and an operative position in which operative position the bar is applied laterally against and overlaps one of the first and second elements of each of the booking devices so as to trap and maintain said one element in hooked relation to the other of said first and second elements; and means for locking the bar in the operative position.

2. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination: a hooking device for each pair of straps for hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap, each hooking device having a first part comprising a loop element connected to the corresponding chest strap and including a stud and a second part comprising a tongue element connected to the corresponding thigh strap and having an aperture hookingly engageable on the corresponding stud; a bar pivoted to the loop element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which operative position the bar is pivoted against the other of the hooking devices, the bar being so adapted and arranged that, in the operative position, the bar overlaps the two tongue elements engaged on their respective studs and locks the tongue elements on their studs; and means for locking the bar in the operative position.

3. A connecting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for locking the bar in the operative position comprise two locking means respectively locking the bar to respective ones of the hooking devices.

4. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination: a hooking device for each pair of straps for hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap, each hooking device having a first part comprising a loop element connected to the corresponding chest strap and including a stud and a second part comprising a tongue element connected to the corresponding thigh strap and having an aperture hookingly engageable on the corresponding stud; a bar pivoted to the loop element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which operative position the bar is pivoted against the other of the hooking devices, the bar being so adapted and arranged that, in the operative position, the bar overlaps the two tongue elements engaged on their respective studs and locks the tongue elements on their studs, the bar comprising a rigid tubular body, a locking rod longitudinally movable in the body and having an end constituting a latch, a notch constituting a keeper provided in the loop element to which the bar is pivoted, a spring biasing the rod with respect to the body so as to urge the latch end into the keeper notch in the operative position of the bar and lock the bar in the operative position, said rod having such length that with the latch end engaged in the keeper the rod abuts the loop element of said other hooking device to which the bar is lockable by known locking means.

5. A connecting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising hooking means on the bar for hooking a stomach parachute pack.

6. A connecting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hooking means comprise two half-rings integral with the bar.

7. A parachute harness having two pairs of straps each of which pair straps includes a chest strap and a thigh strap combined with a quick-release connecting device comprising in combination: two hooking devices respectively for the two pairs of straps, each hooking device being capable of hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap of the corresponding pair of straps, each hooking device comprising a first element connected to the corresponding chest strap and a second element connected to the corresponding thigh strap, the first element and second element being bookable together; a bar pivoted to the first element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position in which the second elements are free to unhook from the first elements and an operative position in which operative position the bar is applied laterally against and overlaps one of the first and second elements of each of the hooking devices so as to trap and maintain said one element in hooked relation to the other of said first and second elements; and means for locking the bar in the operative position. 

1. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination: two hooking devices respectively for the two pairs of straps, each hooking device being capable of individually hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap of the corresponding pair of straps, each hooking device comprising a first element connected to the corresponding chest strap and a second element connected to the corresponding thigh strap, the first element and second element being hookable together; a bar pivoted to the first element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position in which the second elements are free to unhook from the first elements and an operative position in which operative position the bar is applied laterally against and overlaps one of the first and second elements of each of the hooking devices so as to trap and maintain said one element in hooked relation to the other of said first and second elements; and means for locking the bar in the operative position.
 2. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combinatioN: a hooking device for each pair of straps for hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap, each hooking device having a first part comprising a loop element connected to the corresponding chest strap and including a stud and a second part comprising a tongue element connected to the corresponding thigh strap and having an aperture hookingly engageable on the corresponding stud; a bar pivoted to the loop element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which operative position the bar is pivoted against the other of the hooking devices, the bar being so adapted and arranged that, in the operative position, the bar overlaps the two tongue elements engaged on their respective studs and locks the tongue elements on their studs; and means for locking the bar in the operative position.
 3. A connecting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for locking the bar in the operative position comprise two locking means respectively locking the bar to respective ones of the hooking devices.
 4. A quick-release connecting device for a parachute harness comprising two pairs of straps each of which pair of straps has a chest strap and a thigh strap, said device comprising in combination: a hooking device for each pair of straps for hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap, each hooking device having a first part comprising a loop element connected to the corresponding chest strap and including a stud and a second part comprising a tongue element connected to the corresponding thigh strap and having an aperture hookingly engageable on the corresponding stud; a bar pivoted to the loop element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which operative position the bar is pivoted against the other of the hooking devices, the bar being so adapted and arranged that, in the operative position, the bar overlaps the two tongue elements engaged on their respective studs and locks the tongue elements on their studs, the bar comprising a rigid tubular body, a locking rod longitudinally movable in the body and having an end constituting a latch, a notch constituting a keeper provided in the loop element to which the bar is pivoted, a spring biasing the rod with respect to the body so as to urge the latch end into the keeper notch in the operative position of the bar and lock the bar in the operative position, said rod having such length that with the latch end engaged in the keeper the rod abuts the loop element of said other hooking device to which the bar is lockable by known locking means.
 5. A connecting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising hooking means on the bar for hooking a stomach parachute pack.
 6. A connecting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hooking means comprise two half-rings integral with the bar.
 7. A parachute harness having two pairs of straps each of which pair straps includes a chest strap and a thigh strap combined with a quick-release connecting device comprising in combination: two hooking devices respectively for the two pairs of straps, each hooking device being capable of hooking the thigh strap to the chest strap of the corresponding pair of straps, each hooking device comprising a first element connected to the corresponding chest strap and a second element connected to the corresponding thigh strap, the first element and second element being hookable together; a bar pivoted to the first element of one of the hooking devices and pivotable between an inoperative position in which the second elements are free to unhook from the first elements and an operative position in which operative position the bar is applied laterally against and overlaps one of the first and second elements of each of the hooking devices so as to trap and maintain said one element in hooked relation to the other of said first and second elements; and means for locking the bar in the operative position. 